What
we do best.

Finding the right resolution to your shareholder dispute can make all the difference in your company’s survival. We act for shareholders in both closely held private companies and large public companies. We apply our deep bench strength in negotiating practical resolutions as well as litigating shareholder rights in court. We have expertise in both the oppression remedy and derivative actions and routinely interpret shareholder agreements and litigate disputes over their terms.

Litigating for and against partnerships brings unique considerations into play. Our clients include numerous professional partnerships, accounting firms, and joint ventures. We are experienced in dealing with the statutory and legal regimes that apply to partnerships. We are proficient at litigating both internal and external partnership disputes ranging from disagreements over windups and the expulsion of individual partners to inter-firm disputes involving departing or newly arriving partners.

Relationships are critical to business, but failing to manage them properly can lead to serious consequences. At Paris & Sayer LLP, we represent individuals, small and large companies, officers, directors, shareholders, partners, and professional advisors in all manner of contract disputes. We have litigated many types of contracts, including promissory notes, guarantees, joint venture, partnership, and shareholder agreements, franchise agreements, supply and/or logistics contracts, agreements of purchase and sale, and other complex commercial contracts. We’ve successfully enforced settlement agreements of all kinds.

Whether you’re bringing an appeal or responding to one, you need seasoned advocates who understand what it takes to succeed at the appellate level. Our lawyers have appeared and had success at all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada, and two of our lawyers clerked with the courts after law school. When you need persuasive representation, our team has the experience and insight into the judicial decision-making process to advance or defend an appeal.

If you or your business operate in a regulated environment, the penalties for non-compliance or misconduct can be severe. When regulators launch an investigation or prosecution because they suspect wrongdoing or a regulatory breach, you’ll need to prepare a prompt response to defend your position. We have the experience and composure needed to steadily guide you through the investigation or prosecution process.

With broad experience representing both employers and employees, we’re poised to assist you with a wide spectrum of employment disputes.

For employers, our lawyers can advise on draft employment agreements and policies. During employment, we work with human resources professionals to manage legal risks. When an employment relationship results in a dispute, we can defend companies in lawsuits concerning a variety of matters including terminations, safety-sensitive workplaces, and human rights claims.

For employees, your job is a significant part of your life. The turmoil associated with negotiating a new employment agreement or being terminated can be incredibly stressful. We can provide practical advice to help you navigate a termination, obtain the severance you deserve, and protect your rights in a new agreement.

If unexpected issues arise in your franchise business, you need an expert who understands the unique complexities of franchise contracts. We routinely help franchisees negotiate favourable exits from their agreements and assist both franchisees and franchisors in litigating disputes that arise within the franchise relationship. We also have expertise providing independent legal advice to those involved in franchise class actions.

Whether protecting your own privacy or navigating the difficult landscape of privacy legislation in Canada, our lawyers have the experience to advance and maintain your interests. When a government is holding sensitive information about your business that could be released through an access to information request, our advocates know how to minimize the amount of sensitive business information released to the public. We can also help you protect your privacy and legally address privacy intrusions from hackers, government, other businesses, and individuals.

Our team also works within privacy law to uncover important information. Through access to information requests or court-ordered disclosure of private customer data, we know the landscape and can help you find what you’re looking for.

When an advisor breaks your trust or makes a major mistake, the effects can quickly become devastating. A significant portion of our work involves claims for and against accountants and auditors. We are proud to count among our clients “big four” accounting firms, small- to mid-size firms, and individuals with accounting designations. We manage the full array of disputes that our clients experience in their industries, from pursuing or defending collections matters, to managing regulatory proceedings, to litigating intra-firm disputes. In professional negligence cases, we routinely represent clients in investigations before CPA Ontario and the Law Society of Ontario.

Your reputation is your greatest asset and the spread of misinformation about you or your business can wreak havoc on your life. When your good name is on the line, we understand the importance of correcting the record and can help you navigate the unique challenges of defamation and privacy/harassment tort law, especially in the digital world.

On the flip side, if you are being bullied with a lawsuit for doing the right thing and raising the alarm in your community or your workplace, we can help. Our lawyers have experience standing up for free speech and fighting strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs).

As more businesses go global, cross-border disputes have become more common — and complex. We routinely help international counsel bring applications to enforce foreign orders such as letters of request (letters rogatory) and gather Ontario-based evidence for use at trials in other jurisdictions.

Corporations succeed and prosper when their stakeholders collaborate and communicate. Unfortunately, when priorities differ, personalities clash, or mistakes are made, tense situations can quickly get out of control.

No matter what challenges you are facing, our lawyers are expertly equipped to guide you through even the most difficult governance issues. From defusing a shareholder stand-off, to defending directors and officers from liability claims, to vindicating your rights when other stakeholders are acting oppressively, we will defend your interests. Whether you are management, the majority, or the minority, we can help you protect your investment and stop the corporate chaos.

Real estate transactions are particularly intricate and the rules are constantly evolving. When an issue arises with a real estate-related agreement, be it between a realtor and their client, a seller and a purchaser, or an investor and their fellow shareholders, it can result in a lawsuit. Our lawyers have the real estate litigation expertise to address your issues and fight for an effective resolution.

It can be both embarrassing and financially devastating to fall victim to a clever fraudster but you need to act fast to contain the damage. Fortunately, our lawyers know the fraud toolbox inside out and will strive to recover your investment, protect your assets, and go after the bad guys. Whether it’s collaborating with forensic accountants and private investigators to follow the money, bringing an urgent motion to freeze ill-gotten funds, or litigating to recover from the wrongdoers, Paris & Sayer LLP will be there for you when your business needs it most.

We act for defendants in class actions as well as provide independent legal advice for class representatives.